National Mortgage News - October 15, 2016

To successfully respond to the most pressing challenges facing the mortgage industry right now, lenders and servicers must navigate issues of competition, governance, affordability and margins.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac want to make it easier for owners of older apartment buildings to make energy efficient upgrades.

The next administration in the White House must act swiftly to move reform of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac off dead center, and Ginnie Mae President Ted Tozer suggested that the model for a new secondary market is already in place.

Kentucky district court judge rules that the courts cannot interfere with the GSE regulator's wind down of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Banks are dumping their mortgage servicing rights because low rates and new rules make it hard to earn a profit. SunTrust, Flagstar and First South Bancorp in North Carolina are taking the opposite view.

Now that Fannie Mae requires trended data credit reports for its automated underwriting system, will other secondary market players follow suit? If so, how soon?

Banks that are heavily involved in commercial real estate lending may shy away from buying institutions with similar concentrations.

The mortgage industry is failing communities of color by not providing adequate access to conventional loan products, calling into question the future of the housing market and the nation's ability to turn the tide of rising wealth inequality.

Restoring consumer confidence in financial services won't be easy after the latest banking brouhaha, but the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau can help by proactively holding all mortgage loan officers to the same federal licensing standard.

Mortgage industry hiring and new job appointments for the week ending Sept. 30.

Nationwide, the lack of single-family home construction has become dire, threatening to create a housing shortage that could undermine affordability and home sales. But this dearth of new housing starts is far worse in some of the country's most sought-after housing markets.Here's a look at the 10 markets in need of the most new construction.